Gallery Update: Visit to the Erickson Aircraft Collection

Since it's opening in 2014, I've been wanting to pay a visit to the Erickson Aircraft Collection located on the grounds of Madras Municipal Airport in central Oregon. The museum holds perhaps the largest private collection of airworthy warbirds in the country and many of the aircraft there now used to be on display at the Tillamook Air Museum. The only problem about visiting Madras was just how out of the way the most-direct driving route would've taken (three hours at least, first going up to Portland and then via the Mt. Hood area!). But now that I'm a licensed private pilot with access to an airplane and with all the nice weather we've been having, I decided that today would be the day I would fly myself out there, so I did (using an airplane to go see some airplanes, and it was worth it!)! In addition to visiting the museum, I've also always wanted to check out the water-bomber planes from Erickson Aero Tanker and I got to look at a couple of DC-7s as well as a couple of MD-80s!

Madras (S33)

Erickson Aircraft Collection

Preview:

Erickson Aero Tanker Douglas DC-7B (N838D) Tanker 60 parked on the ramp. This old bird started out life carrying passengers back in the day for Eastern Air Line!

Erickson Aero Tanker Douglas DC-7 (N6353C) Tanker 66 parked on the ramp. Started life with United Airlines!

McDonnell Douglas MD-83 (N950NS) parked on the ramp without engines. Haven't seen a 'Mad Dog' in a while! Of the three MD-80s I saw, one of them is apparently going to get converted into a water-bomber. Otherwise, the airframes I saw are sources for spare parts for the MD-87s already in service with Erickson Aero Tanker. Last operator was with Ryan International Airlines on the behalf of the U.S. Department of Justice. Started life as N950AS flying for Alaska Airlines.

McDonnell Douglas MD-87 (EC-LUJ) parked on the ramp without engines. The shorter MD-87s are a rare sight and I'm glad I got to see not one, but two here in Madras. This old 'Mad Dog' started life as EC-638 and later re-registered as EC-FHD while in service with Iberia. It was then re-registered as EC-LUJ while with Tiger Aircraft Trading (TAT). Apparently, this frame is currently registered as N296EA, which makes this 'Mad Dog' the likely candidate to be brought back into flying service as a water-bomber since other 'Mad Dogs' currently flying for Erickson are MD-87s!

Spanair McDonnell Douglas MD-87 (EC-FFI) parked on the ramp without engines. Spanair ceased operations on January 27, 2012 due to financial troubles, so I am thrilled to see this livery in 2018! This airframe started life as EC-636 and later re-registered as EC-FFI with Iberia nicknamed "Ciudad de Cuenca." Under the same registration it then went to Spanair sometime before the airline folded. Apparently, this frame is currently registered as N294EA and it could be another contender to be brought back to flying condition as a water-bomber!

Erickson Aero Tanker Douglas DC-7 (N401US) Tanker 62 parked on the ramp. Former United Airlines "Mainliner Kansas City."

North American/Commonwealth CA-17 (P-51D) Mustang 20 (N551D) on display. This is a unique P-51 because it was license-built in Australia by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation.

Hispano HA-1112-M1L Buchón (NX90602), a Spanish license-built version of the Messerschmitt Bf-109G-2. This is the one of the museum's latest restoration additions to the collection following extensive restoration work by Pacific Fighters out of Idaho Falls! This particular airframe was one of a dozen or so used to portray German Messerschmitts in the 1969 film 'The Battle of Britain!'

Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawk (AK803) on display. Truly a time capsule aircraft as this beauty has gone untouched since 1946! Brought back from New Zealand in a shipping container after a five year lease with the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, this P-40 has been up for sale by Platinum Fighter Sales for a cool $1.8 million since 2016; in the meantime, she'll be proudly on display at Madras! It was an absolute privilege to see this old warbird in its original, immaculate condition.

Aero L-29 Delfin (N7149E) on display.

Bellanca 66-75 Aircruiser (N2191K) on display.

Douglas A-26B Invader (NX3222T) on display.

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (N56V) on display.

Lockheed P-38L Lightning (NX2114L) "Tangerine" on display. I last saw this "fork-tailed devil" at the Warriors Over the Wasatch Air Show at Hill Air Force Base this past June!

Grumman J2F-6 Duck (N3960C) on display.

Grumman/Schweizer G-164B Ag Cat (N8115K) on display.

Bell P-39Q Airacobra (44-2485) on display. My first time seeing a P-39! My understanding is that this rare fighter is slated to become airworthy again with a new N-number after receiving a new engine.

Martin AM-1 Mauler (N7163M) on display. One of only four left in existence!

Vought F4U-7 Corsair (NX1337A) on display. I last saw this warbird three years ago at the 2015 Oregon International Air Show.

North American B-25N Mitchel (N8195H) "Heavenly Body" on display. Saw this one earlier this year as well at the 2018 Warriors Over the Wasatch Air Show at Hill Air Force Base!

Nakajima Ki-43-IIIa Hayabusa replica (N43JE) on display.

Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina (NX2172N) on display.

Lockheed SP-2H Neptune (N360RR) on display. This thing was huge up close! So much so that I had a difficult time getting a decent photo of the entire aircraft in the frame; I had to settle with this shot... This old sub-hunter was only recently brought inside the hangar after spending a long time outside where the birds got to it; she'll undergo some much-needed TLC and hopefully be back in the air real soon.